This bill expands when juveniles (under 18) can be sent to adult court for motor vehicle theft or unlawful taking. It adds specific offenses - like theft of a motor vehicle under N.J.S.2C:20-10.1 or unlawful taking under N.J.S.2C:20-10 - to the list of crimes that automatically trigger a waiver to adult court if the juvenile has *previously* been found delinquent for the same offense. The key mechanism requires prosecutors to seek waiver for these cases without the juvenile’s consent, with courts considering factors like the juvenile’s prior record and maturity. It directly affects juveniles with prior adjudications for motor vehicle theft or unlawful taking, potentially leading to adult criminal sentencing instead of juvenile court processing.
This bill changes New Jersey's juvenile court rules to require that juveniles accused of killing a law enforcement officer while the officer was on duty be automatically tried as adults. It applies specifically when a juvenile commits an act that would be criminal homicide (excluding vehicular manslaughter) if done by an adult, and the victim was an officer performing official duties or killed due to their law enforcement role. Courts must refer such cases to adult court without the juvenile's consent if probable cause exists, though judges may block the referral if they find the prosecutor abused their discretion. The law aims to ensure juveniles who commit violent acts against officers face adult criminal penalties.
This bill requires courts to automatically transfer juveniles aged 15 or older to adult criminal court if they're accused of a homicide (excluding death by auto) where stalking was involved. The court must hold a hearing to verify both the homicide charge and stalking conduct before transferring the case. If transferred, the juvenile would typically serve custodial sentences in a juvenile facility until age 21, rather than in an adult prison. This changes current law by adding stalking as a specific trigger for waiver, not just homicide alone.
This bill allocates $750,000 in supplemental funding to the Office of the Public Defender’s Trial Services to Indigents program for fiscal year 2024. The funds will hire eight additional attorneys specifically dedicated to juvenile cases, focusing on post-dispositional work and reducing caseloads in Essex and Atlantic counties - regions with the highest juvenile defense demand. The bill directly affects juvenile defendants in these counties, where custody numbers have risen from 277 in 2022 to 339 as of April 2024, and custodial sentence lengths have increased significantly. The funding addresses a projected 25-30% caseload increase for juvenile defense, stemming from expanded legal mandates under P.L.2021, c.383.
Bill A 614 establishes a 17-member "Task Force for Community Based Juvenile Rehabilitation" to study and recommend changes to juvenile court age limits (minimum and maximum ages for prosecution) based on developmental science and other states' practices. The task force must also examine racial disparities in juvenile prosecution and sentencing, and propose solutions to address them. Composed of representatives from law enforcement, courts, social justice organizations, youth justice experts, and community stakeholders, the task force will hold three public hearings across New Jersey and submit a report to the Governor and Legislature within one year. This bill creates a review process for potential policy changes but does not alter current juvenile justice laws.
This bill (S 367) expands when New Jersey juveniles can be tried as adults by adding two specific motor vehicle-related offenses to the list of crimes eligible for waiver to adult court: theft of a motor vehicle and unlawful taking of a motor vehicle. It makes it a strict liability crime for a juvenile to be involved in such thefts, meaning prosecutors do not need to prove the juvenile intended to steal the vehicle. The bill directly affects juveniles aged 15+ charged with these offenses, who would now face automatic referral to adult court without the juvenile’s consent if prosecutors meet specific criteria. The key change is broadening the waiver eligibility to include these thefts and removing intent as a factor for liability. This does not change sentencing for adults but alters the pathway for juvenile cases involving motor vehicle theft.
This bill (S 1479) prohibits New Jersey public and private colleges (excluding law schools) from asking applicants about criminal history - including juvenile records - on admission applications. It creates a "Universal College Application Development Task Force" to design a standard application that excludes such questions, which all institutions must adopt. Exceptions allow institutions to ask about specific serious crimes (e.g., sexual assault, terrorism, or child exploitation) for admission decisions. Colleges may later inquire about criminal history for campus housing or activities, but must consider factors like time passed since the offense and rehabilitation.
This bill amends New Jersey's "three strikes law" to exclude crimes committed before age 18 from counting toward the two prior convictions required for life imprisonment without parole. It directly affects defendants who have prior offenses committed as juveniles (under 18), ensuring those offenses no longer trigger the harsher sentencing. The key change clarifies that only convictions for crimes committed after the age of 18 will be considered when determining eligibility for life sentences under this law. The amendment aligns the law with the existing definition of "juvenile" (under 18) and removes prior juvenile offenses from the calculation.
S 1279 establishes a 25-member "Youth Detention Task Force" to assess New Jersey's current youth detention system and recommend a better approach. The task force will evaluate existing county facilities, Youth Justice Commission-managed sites, or alternatives, considering factors like safety, rehabilitation opportunities, resources, and security. It includes legislative members, state agency heads (like the Attorney General and Youth Justice Commission Director), and public representatives from counties with and without detention facilities. The task force must submit findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature within 18 months of its first meeting.
New Jersey's S 200 would allow juveniles (under 18) to be tried as adults for terrorism and human trafficking offenses, regardless of their age. Currently, juveniles must be at least 15 to face adult prosecution for most serious crimes; this bill removes that age requirement specifically for terrorism and human trafficking. The court must still determine probable cause that the juvenile committed the offense (as an adult would) and that the circumstances and severity warrant the waiver. This change applies only to these two offenses and does not alter the waiver process for other crimes.
